Apparatus for marking traffic lines on footpaths and roads



Feb. 27, 1951 w. D. WOELLWARTH APPARATUS FOR MARKING TRAFFIC LINES 0N FOOTPATHS AND ROADS Filed April 9, 1947 .H mm H WW In? 0 w n M M L .m W

Patented Feb. 27, 1951 UNID STAT E H ECE William Duchatel Woellwarih, Long Bitten, England Application Apr-ii 9, i948], Serial N o. 740,452 lln Great Britain April 12, 1943 Section 1, Pubiic Law 690, August s, 1946 Patent expires April 12, 1963 Claims. 1

This invention relates to apparatus for marking trafiic lines on footpaths or roads.

'l'raiiic lines and lines on curbs of footpaths are usually broken lines and the main object of the present invention is to devise simple apparatus, easy to operate in the making of these lines.

Apparatus according to the present invention comprises the combination of a bottomless container having a width at the bottom corresponding to the width of the traffic line and two bottom plates for the container, connected together in spaced relation a distance corresponding to the length of the line. Such apparatus is intended for use with marking material which is not of easily fiowable form.

The container is rested on one of the bottom plates and charged with a quantity of the marking material, and is then moved to the other bottom plate. In between the two bottom plates the marking material is deposited, and thereby a trafiic line of the desired length and width is formed between the plates.

In preferred constructions according to the present invention the bottom edges of the leading and trailing wals of the container are recessed back with regard to the edges of the side walls a distance equivalent to the desired thickness of the line, consequently, as the container moves from one plate to the other the lower edge of the rear wals acts as a strickling bar determining the thickness of the coating deposited on the surface between the bottom plates.

The invention. also comprises apparatus in. which two bottom plates are provided with a handle disposed across the midway distance between the plates, and comprising a bar extending from the outermost corner of one plate to the diagonally opposite corner of the otherplate. The bar may be fitted with wooden grips to facilitate handling of the apparatus. The container may be marked on the inside to indicate the level oi the marking material charged to the container to produce the requisite trafiic line.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood a preferred embodimentin which the apparatus is devised to use a thick plastic type. of marking material will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates one construction of the two bottom plates;

Figure 2 illustrates a preferred form of bottomless container, and

(Cl. 91l2) 2 Figures 3 and 4 show modifications of the bottom plates.

In the form of apparatus illustrated in Figures 1. and 2 the bottom plates is and i l are connected to the ends of the bar l2 which is of sufficient length to extend the full length of the Dates and to provide between the inner edges of the plates a space equal to the length of the trafiic line. The bar 52 kinked up as shown at lZa in Figure i so that the portion 93 between the plates is above the level of the plates to provide a guide for the adjacent side wall of the container it is traversed from one plate to the'other.

The ends of the bar 12 extend along one side edge of each plate and the opposite side edges and the outer end edges of the plates are reinforced by bars it riveted, for example, to the plates and welded'together at the corners.

Secured to a. corner of one plate is an upstanding arm 55 and secured to the opposite corner of the other plate is another upstanding arm l5 the arms 55 being connected by a bar I t which provides the handle for this part of the apparatus.

If desired the arm 5 at one end may be integral with the bar 42 and the arm 25 at the other end may be integral with one or other of the reinforcing bars i l.

The container (Figure 2) is of rectangular form having a length equal to or slightly less than the effective length of the bottom plate i. e., the length of the plate from its inner edge to the inner edge of the parallel reinforcing bar is and has side walls ll of which the upper portions are connected by integral upper end wall portions the end walls being completed by lower end wall portions is having side lugs 26 embracing the adjacent ends of the side walls ii and to which the said lugs are connected by bolts 2!. The upper edge of each lower end wall portion 55 is turned over to form a stiffening web 22'. The width of the container in relation to the effective width of the bottom plate, 1. e. the dis tance between the inside edges of bars l2 and 5 3 must be'such that the bottom plate adequately closes the bottom of the container'when standing thereon so as to prevent escape of the contents of the container.

The front and rear walls of the container have pivoted to them at 23 handle-plates 24 which are connected by a handle 25 and carry an inwardly ofiset plate 2% for engagement over theupper wall portions it whereby "the load is transrefitted to both end walls of the container when the latter is pulled endwise along the line to be marked. When the container is to be filled the 3 handle is swung back out of the way about the pivots 23.

The front and rear walls i9 are recessed at 21 so that there is a gap between the lower edge of the two walls and the surface to be marked, the gap having a width equal to the width of the line to be produced and a depth equal to the thickness of the coating desired to be applied.

Preferably the lower edge of each wall ll is turned up externally as shown at 28 so that when the container is placed on the road it rests on the undersurfaces 29 of the turned up edges of the side walls ll, which undersurfaces take the wear.

When the wear has reached a stage such that the effective height of the gap '2'? has become too small, the wall elements ll, l8 may be renewed, the end plates 19, which are formed with the gap 22, being simply taken off and fitted on to the new parts ll, 8.

If desired, the bolts 25 may pass through slots in the wall I? so that the end wall elements l9 may be adjusted vertically to vary the gap 2i or to compensate for wear on the undersurfaces 25 of the turned up edges of the side walls H. In such constructions packing washers will be provided around the bolts 2! to prevent leakage of the hot plastic material.

Between the bottom plates H3 i! the raised portion 13 of the bar i2 which connects them acts as a guide along which the turned up portion 28 of the wall i! of the container is so moved that a straight line is assured.

Instead of the form of container described above, there may be employed a container in the form of a plain rectangular box without a bottom, t

the end walls of the container being recessed in the same manner as that shown at Til in Figure 2. In such constructions there will be near the junction of each end wall with a side wall, an outer portion of each end wall having a lower edge in the same plane as the lower edge of the side walls.

If desired both the upper and lower edges of the end walls may be recessed so that the container may be used either way up.

In such constructions each wall ll of the container may be provided with a hard steel plate projecting below its edge so that this hard plate comes into contact with the road when the device is being used. These plates are attached to the container walls by stud and slot connections so that as the plates wear they can be adjusted to maintain the required height of the recess 27.

In order that the container shall not be obstructed by the inner edges of the bottom plates to which it is moving, the inner edge of each bottom plate may be chanifered to lead the container up on to the bottom plates in each direction of movement.

In using the apparatus described above the container is first stood upon one of the bottom plates, for example, the plate it, between the bars 52 and Ill, so that the plate 5 closes the bottom of the container and prevents escape of the contents. The container is then moved across the distance between the plates iii and H and brought on to the plate El between the bars i2 and M thereon so that the plate H now closes the bottom of the container.

In traversing the container from the plate ii to plate IE it is kept in a straight line path by the guide bar 13 against which the side wall of the container is maintained during the passage of the container from one plate to the other. During the passage of the container from one plate to the other there is deposited and levelled by the trailing wall of the container, a plastic paint which exudes through a gap 2'! and is deposited on the road surface between the bottom plates.

Having thus formed one line or section of a line on the roadway, the bottom plates with the container thereon are moved to the position for the next section of the line by simply picking them up by means of the handle It with the container in position on the bottom plate 5 I.

When the apparatus is in the new position the container is moved back from the plate I l to the plate ill whereby a further quantity of paint is deposited.

When the container is slid on to either of the bottom plates it or H the store of material in the container is retained therein by the bottom plate when the apparatus is picked up and moved to the new position for marking a further line or section of a line.

The container is preferably formed from sheet metal as it may be desired to keep the container hot by employing a flame to ensure sufficient fluidity in the plastic.

In a modified construction, in order to seal the gap when the container is on a bottom plate and thereby prevent any leakage of plastic material over the bottom plate, each bottom plate may, as shown in Figure 3, be formed with a plane surface 39 raised with regard to the rest of the bottom plate so as to fit under the container and register with the gaps.

When employing the construction shown in Figure 1 it may happen that when the container is being moved on to a bottom plate a small amount of the plastic may become squeezed out laterally at the inner edge of the bottom plate as the container rises on to the plate and in order to prevent such squeezed out plastic from marking the road surface, the bottom plate ma be extended on each side of the line to be marked, as shown at 3| (Figure 4) to act as shields.

Alternatively the gap 32 between the shields 31 may be omitted so that the portions 3| constitute a unitary extension to the plate 50, provided that the flexibility of this extension 3| beyond the reinforcing bars H3 and I2 is sufficient to permit the extension 3| to bed itself well down on to the road surface as the container is moved on to it.

By the present invention simple, cheap and eiiective means are provided for applying to road surfaces or curbs of footways, the usual interrupted or broken line of a colour contrasting with the colour of the surfaces on which the marking material is laid, and particularly the production of marks by depositing a plastic material as a coating of predetermined and regulated thickness.

Various modifications may be made in the apparatus, for example the configuration of the line produced may be varied in shape by altering the form of the inner edges of each bottom plate.

Instead of arranging the handle diagonally of the plates as described above, the handle may extend parallel to the edges of the plates in the plane of the centre of gravity of the complete apparatus including the plates and the container when standin upon one of the plates. With such an arrangement carrying of the complete apparatus including the container standing upon one of the plates is facilitated, as the user can grip the handles at a point over the centre of gravity of the apparatus so that the latter is balanced laterally as well as in the front to rear direction.

The bottom plates may be screwed to the reinforcing bars M which constitute a supporting frame therefor, so that the plates may be removed and replaced when worn or damaged.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for marking trafiic lines on footpaths and roads comprising for fiowable marking material a bottomless container having side walls, a leading and a trailing end wall, the side walls defining the width of a line to be marked, a recess in each of the leading and trailing walls'to determine the thickness of a line to be marked, and a handle whereby the container resting on the lower edges of said side walls and with its bottom wholly exposed to the surface to be marked may be moved over such surface.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including a hard metal plate secured to each said side wall to extend below its bottom edge and rest on a surface to be marked, and means for adjusting the position of said hard metal plates relative to said sides to compensate for wear.

3. Apparatus for marking tramc lines on footpaths and roads, comprising for flowable marking material a bottomless container having side walls, a leading and a trailing end wall, a recess 7 in each of the leading and trailing walls to determine the thickness of a line to be marked, the side walls defining the Width of the line to be marked and each having its bottom edge upturned externally thereof so that the undersurfaces of the upturned portions provide runners to engage the surface to be marked, means for removably attaching said end walls to the side walls to permit the side walls to be replaced after wear on the runners has reduced the height of said recesses beyond a predetermined amount, and a handle whereby the container resting on said runners and with its bottom wholly exposed to the surface to be marked may be moved over such surface.

4. Apparatus for marking trafiic lines on footpaths and roads comprising for flowable marking material a bottomless container having side walls, a leading and a trailing end wall detachable from said side walls, the side walls defining the width of a line to be marked, a recess in each of the leading and trailing walls to determine the thickness of a line to be marked, a runner integral with each said side wall, each runner being formed by upturning the lower edge portion of the side wall with which it is integral, and a handle whereby the container resting on said runners and with its bottom wholly exposed to the surface to be marked may be moved over such surface.

5. Apparatus for marking tramc lines on footpaths and roads comprising for fiowable marking material a bottomless container having side walls, an upper leading end wall portion, an upper trailing end wall portion, said upper end wall portions being integral with said side walls and maintaining the side walls in spaced relation to define the width of a line to be marked, a lower leading end wall portion, a lower trailing end wall portion, a recess in each said lower end wall portion to determine the thickness of a line to be marked, means to secure said lower end wall portions in overlapping relation with said upper end wall portions, and a handle whereby the container resting on the lower edges of said side walls and with its bottom wholly exposed to the surface to be marked may be moved over such surface.

WILLIAM DUCHATEL WOELLWARTI-I.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 236,707 Jones Jan. 18, 1881 964,133 Strehler July 12, 1910 1,709,711 Duffy Apr. 16, 1929 1,725,889 Thomasson Aug. 27, 1929 1,818,916 Wasen Aug. 11, 1931 2,212,073 Orth Aug. 20, 1940 2,376,243 Fraser May 15, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 513,954 Great Britain Oct. 26, 1939 564,075 Great Britain Sept. 12, 1944 

